RUTH. (her repressed voice trembling) You needn’t make fun of Andy.
ROBERT. When I think—but what’s the use? You know I wasn’t making fun of Andy personally, but his attitude toward things is——
RUTH. (her eyes flashing—bursting into uncontrollable rage) You was too making fun of him! And I ain’t going to stand for it! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! (ROBERT stares at her in amazement. She continues furiously) A fine one to talk about anyone else—after the way you’ve ruined everything with your lazy loafing!—and the stupid way you do things!
ROBERT. (angrily) Stop that kind of talk, do you hear?
RUTH. You findin’ fault—with your own brother who’s ten times the man you ever was or ever will be! You’re jealous, that’s what! Jealous because he’s made a man of himself, while you’re nothing but a—but a—— (She stutters incoherently, overcome by rage).
ROBERT. Ruth! Ruth! You’ll be sorry for talking like that.
RUTH. I won’t! I won’t never be sorry! I’m only saying what I’ve been thinking for years.
ROBERT. (aghast) Ruth! You can’t mean that!
RUTH. What do you think—living with a man like you—having to suffer all the time because you’ve never been man enough to work and do things like other people. But no! You never own up to that. You think you’re so much better than other folks, with your college education, where you never learned a thing, and always reading your stupid books instead of working. I s’pose you think I ought to be proud to be your wife—a poor, ignorant thing like me! (Fiercely) But I’m not. I hate it! I hate the sight of you. Oh, if I’d only known! If I hadn’t been such a fool to listen to your cheap, silly, poetry talk that you learned out of books! If I could have seen how you were in your true self—like you are now—I’d have killed myself before I’d have married you! I was sorry for it before we’d been together a month. I knew what you were really like—when it was too late.
ROBERT. (his voice raised loudly) And now—I’m finding out what you’re really like—what a—a creature I’ve been living with. (With a harsh laugh) God! It wasn’t that I haven’t guessed how mean and small you are—but I’ve kept on telling myself that I must be wrong—like a fool!—like a damned fool!